Gujarat’s industrial sector, especially in Surat’s textile manufacturing hub, is estimated to suffer an annual production loss of Rs 12,000-15,000 crore because of frequent election cycles leading to significant migrant worker migration, industry leaders revealed. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) exploring the “One Nation, One Election” concept conducted consultations in Gujarat to evaluate the possibility of aligning various elections in the country. The committee, chaired by BJP MP P. P. Chaudhary, is assessing the 129th Amendment Bill, 2024, and related legislative measures to facilitate simultaneous elections nationwide.
Public discussions in Gujarat highlighted that synchronized elections could potentially save up to Rs 7 lakh crore and enhance administrative efficiency and GDP growth, as per previous estimates by economists and policymakers. Pathik Patwari, Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (Gujarat chapter), emphasized that Gujarat’s manufacturing economy heavily relies on migrant labor from different states, and the repetitive elections disrupt workforce availability, impacting production across various industries.
The state’s industrial output, which includes textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, diamonds, semiconductors, and automobiles, faces disruptions during election periods due to the movement of migrant workers. The migration cycle, extending beyond the voting day, causes a production decline of 15-20%, affecting the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of approximately Rs 27.9 lakh crore. Gujarat’s economic sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, textiles, construction, engineering, brass manufacturing, ceramics, fisheries, and blue economy activities, are interconnected and heavily reliant on migrant labor, making them vulnerable to workforce disruptions during elections.
Repeated election cycles lead to an estimated annual loss of Rs 12,000-15,000 crore for Gujarat’s industries, attributed to reduced productivity and extended labor absenteeism. Surat’s textile industry, which heavily depends on migrant labor, experiences a 15% productivity impact during election-related migration, resulting in a monthly output loss of about Rs 1,200 crore. The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) highlighted that Surat’s textile sector, with around 15 lakh migrant workers, faces the highest disruption among industries due to its labor-intensive nature.
